Haunting memories
by BiShoujoMiharu
Summary: With Sho suddenly pursuing an acting carrier, starring beside Kyouko in Box R will Ren's chances decrease? What will happen to Setsuka and Cain? Find out!  Manga-based, written after chapter 168


**Author's note:**  
I hope you'll all enjoy this story as much as you did Deheaded Chicken. I started writing when the manga was at chapter 168, but have worked some of the conversation in chapter 169 into it. I'll try to adapt to the manga, but mostly it'll be my original storyline. Enjoy and please comment to let me know what you think.****

Chapter 1. Sho's acting debut

It was almost unbearable to eat, but eating it together seemed to make it easier on both of them. Kyouko's gaze wondered off from her plate to Ren, who wasn't looking cheerful at all. It didn't take him very long to realize she was looking at him and turned towards her.  
"Thank you, for being here." His words were gentle, as was the smile that followed. Kyouko's eyes filled up with tears as she looked at him, to Ren's surprise.  
"I was so worried. I couldn't help you and you've helped me so many times.. I'm sorry!" Ren could barely control himself, once again she'd mesmerized him. _'She looks so cute.. so fragile. If I was anyone else..'_ Another smile graced Ren's lips as he leaned forward. He placed his right hand over hers. Kyouko looked up at him, blushing faintly.  
"You really helped me out today, Kyouko-chan." She smiled warmly at him, clearly his words had cheered her up. She seemed to have failed to realize he'd called her Kyouko. For a moment they stared at one another, but then Ren removed his hand and looked away. He had a very faint blush on his cheeks, which he was trying to hide.  
"How's Box R going?" He asked her, without making eye-contact. Kyouko looked at him for a moment, then at the table.  
"It's alright. The director still calls me Mio every now and then.. but I've managed to make Natsu different from Mio."  
"I'm glad to hear that."  
"Tsuruga-san?"  
"Hmm?" Ren looked at her again.  
"When are we returning to Setsuka and Cain?" He remained silent, in thought. He thought back to what the president had told him. _'He was determined to make it hard on me. "We can kill of the little sister character, but you'll have to be the one to tell her. It'll be you saying you don't need her." I can't tell her..'_  
"We'll be moving to a new hotel tomorrow." Kyouko smiled warmly, happily even.  
"I want to ask you something, Tsuruga-san.." Kyouko told him, getting something out of her bag.  
"What is it?" He replied with a warm smile. She held the necklace he'd given her before his eyes.  
"As long as Princess Rosa is by your side don't ever feel like you've lost. Don't be fainthearted. You have to believe that the impossible can become possible. That's why Tsuruga-san can do this, I know you can do this." Ren couldn't contain the smile she'd caused to appear upon his lips. Kyouko was being genuinely concerned about him, trying to help him do the car stunts to the best of his abilities. "If you ever face any trouble, trick yourself into thinking you're bound to win. I will win this time. And shall we.. stay and face it together?"  
"Okay then." Kyouko's eyes lit up as he spoke. "Let's stay and face it together." Ren took the necklace from her.

He stretched his arms and yawned loudly before laying down on the couch. Shouko smiled faintly and placed a beer on the table before him.  
"You've been in a good mood lately." His manager stated as she sat down on a chair. Sho looked at her and grinned faintly. He took the beer and drank some.  
"I'm back on number one." _'And furthermore.. Kyouko probably still can't get me off her mind.' _He briefly touched his lips with one finger. _'Tsuruga Ren must be really jealous by now.. with her mind occupied with thoughts of me alone.'_ Another grin appeared upon his lips as he stared up at the ceiling. _'Kyouko will be very surprised to see me, I'll probably keep her from doing her work properly.'_  
"You beat Vie Ghoul quite easily." His manager went on and Sho sat up on the couch. He drank the rest of his beer._ 'That Reino and his beagles didn't stand a chance. Beagles..' _Suddenly Sho burst into laughter again, to Shouko's surprise he'd been doing a lot of that lately. He seemed to enjoy his life more lately.

Kyouko laid down in bed, feeling somewhat out of place. Even Ren's guest room was enormous. He'd suggested she'd stay over after he'd started feeling sick. He blamed the monster he'd captured, referring to the Maui omu rice he'd prepared for the both of them. Ren was determined not to let her go home by herself at night and eventually she caved in. Though this was partially because she was worried about his health. Now that she thought about it she wasn't feeling too well either. _'Maybe eating all of that really was too much for my stomach to bear..'_ She wrapped her arms around her abdomen and turned on her side. It was really starting to hurt. Kyouko got out of bed and walked out of her room. She drank some water in the bathroom and hung over the sink. _'I feel like I might get sick..'_ Kyouko looked up at the cabinets and tried to remember which one held the medicine. She got a chair and climbed on top of it, then onto the counter opening one of the upper cabinets.  
"Found it!" She got the box of medicine out.  
"What are you doing, Mogami-san?" Kyouko turned to look around, but misplaced one of her feet and fell. Luckily Ren had anticipated this and caught her in his arms. When Kyouko opened her eyes again she was staring right into Ren's. Her cheeks were bright red.  
"Wh-what happened?" She asked insecurely. Ren smiled warmly at her.  
"You fell. What were you trying to get?" He asked her as he put her down. Kyouko seemed somewhat out of balance so he held onto her for a moment longer.  
"I was getting medicine.. my stomach hurts."  
"Yours as well? I'm sorry about that." Ren seemed to genuinely feel guilty. _'I shouldn't have asked her to come over. Or rather.. to eat my cooking.'_  
"It's ok." They sat down at the table and both took some medicine. Both of them felt too awake to get any sleep so instead they watched television together.

Walking to the set of Box R Kyouko seemed deeply lost in thought. _'I can't remember going to bed.. yet I woke up in one. Ren must've carried me..?'_ The thought of Tsuruga Ren carrying her to bed seemed to upset her mind, as she started blushing. She was glad her stomach-ache had gone away since she'd taken the medicine. As she walked onto the set she noticed that there was a group of people gathered around someone. Kyouko walked up to the director.  
"Annaka-san, what's all the ruckus about?"  
"Ah, Kyouko, someone will be joining us for today's shoot." The director turned towards the crowd and spoke again; "Fuwa-kun?" _'Fuwa..kun..? It can't be..'_ Kyouko's eyes opened widely as the crowd parted and Shoutaro appeared. He walked towards them and Kyouko's aura slowly began to change. Since the director was used to her playing quite a dark and cruel character like Natsu he didn't realize she was actually upset.  
"Fuwa-kun will be playing Natsu's ex-boyfriend. A delinquent who's just recently gotten out of jail. I trust you two will give it your all." After those words the director walked away, leaving Kyouko and Sho together. She was staring at him, clearly frustrated.  
"It was just a kiss Kyouko, get over it." A smirk upon his face, it really set her off. Her apparitions came out, discussing how they should just destroy Sho now.  
"Since when did you decide to pursue acting?" Sho seemed surprised she didn't respond to his mentioning of their kiss.  
"I got a lot of compliments for my acting in my videoclips and it can't hurt to get some experience in this field, right?"  
"Ah, is that so?" Kyouko raised an eyebrow at him. There was a tension between them that everyone could feel. Makino Honami decided to try and brake the tension between the two.  
"Fuwa-san, I look forward to working with you," She told Sho, who didn't seem the least bit interested. This seemed to infuriate Kyouko.  
"If that's how you treat fellow actors you won't last one day!"  
"It can't be that hard, you managed to last in this business!" He spat back at her.

"Setsuka?" _'Sho ended up doing an ok job.. but we had to reshoot some of his scenes. I didn't try to destroy him, I did a great job despite his presence. But.. then why do I feel like I shouldn't tell Tsuruga-san? I did nothing wrong.' _A hand was waved in front of her face.  
"Mogami-san?" Kyouko finally realized she was being called and looked in front of her. Ren sat there, kneeled before her, with a worried look in his eyes.  
"Is something wrong? Did something happen today?" Kyouko clenched her fists, holding onto her skirt tightly. She nodded a bit.  
"Sho's playing a role in a Box R episode." She told him, staring at her lap.  
"You didn't let him get in the way of your acting, did you?" Kyouko shook her head. "And you didn't get in his way either?" Again she shook her head. Ren smiled warmly at her. "Then what's wrong?"  
"I thought you'd be angry.." Kyouko said, looking up at him. Her eyes were slightly watery. Ren smiled warmly, once more the need to hug her overcame him, but he was able to keep himself from acting on his feelings. _'Give me a little more credit, Kyouko.'_  
"I'm not angry-." He moved closer towards her, looking into her eyes and finally embracing her. His arms wrapped around her. Kyouko's eyes opened widely as she tried to find an appropriate way to respond.  
"-Setsuka."


End file.
